Election delight and food traumas

First and foremost, no self-respecting breathing human being on this planet at this point in time could go on with their business without mentioning the incredibly momentous event we were fortunate enough to witness a few days ago which, unbelievably enough, has managed to wipe off cynical smirks off the faces of many a professional skeptic in political matters (such as yours truly). Obama's victory struck a chord with people of all nationalities, creeds, race and backgrounds as he epitomises what most of us suspected existed but never quite got round to see much evidence of it: an intelligent, articulate, level-headed, decent, open-minded, progressive, mesmerising politician and an American at that! It has been particularly easy to give in to the stereotype perpetuated by a vast range of examples of American idiocy and thirst for world domination, especially after 8 years of the Bush administration that managed to eradicate any respect for America that could have existed anywhere on the planet. The fact that Obama is mixed race is, of course, a huge deal in a country where many living citizens are still haunted by memories of segregation and plagued by everyday racist attitudes. But it is not solely about a black man being the first ever president of the most powerful country in the world but also, that somebody with apparently few connections, little backing from the 'establishment', young and liberal could ignite such passion and enthusiasm within and outside his country's borders; that people would reach into their own pockets and give up their own time to campaign and canvass for him; that Americans themselves would be shaken and challenged in what they believed possible; that people from every walk of life would come under one banner and one cause and that, against all the odds, when most of the world had given up hope, a real change actually did happen.

It is too significant to fathom and I wish I could travel to the future and read the history books that children will be taught in 2050 to fully grasp the impact this event will have in the world scene when, hopefully, one day kids will read in disbelief about a time when a black Western president was considered a novelty and a breakthrough. All I can say is that I am excited to be part of it and, for the first time ever, to have cried tears of joy over the results of an election.

On a different note altogether and moving onto the second part of this post's title, my relationship with food is certainly not a smooth ride in any shape or form which is one of the long-lasting consequences of my upbringing. I wouldn't recommend growing up in Argentina and especially not in Buenos Aires to anybody. It is a ruthless place where striving to be thin is the national sport and it is deeply ingrained in the minds of women (men, as always, get away with murder) stemming from the family, school, TV, magazines, etc. Attractiveness, success, the possibility of being loved and wanted are all intertwined with being thin. What I've noticed since I was able to leave this toxic environment and experience other cultures is that, yes, the aspirations of being thinner exist pretty much everywhere. However, in most places, there is a separation between reality and fiction: stars are paid to be skinny, so are models and people might admire them and aspire to be fitter but not to the point of emulating them. For instance, take Mexico (where I lived for almost 4 years) and the UK where I have been living for even longer. In Mexico, people love watching their soaps which are exclusively populated by thin, blonde, blue-eyed pale looking actors who look nothing at all like 99% of Mexicans. They know this but, somehow, it is part of make-believe: you know it is something you would never be nor could aspire to be and watch it as a bit of harmless escapism to be confined to the realm of television.

In the UK, the difference is that people on TV and magazines are, surprisingly, not all thin or traditionally pretty which, I think, is a fantastic thing. Examples are plentiful and across a wide variety of programs. You could never say that British soaps are populated by the likes of Kate Moss lookalikes which is absolutely refreshing as people can actually see themselves reflected in the characters. Also, what struck me the most when I arrived here is that the average size for a woman is a 16 and a 12 is considered slim whereas back in Argyland if you are a size 12, you will most likely get categorised as a bit on the chubby side. Unbelievable but true. Unfortunately and however much rationality one can consciously apply to these matters, traumas have a sneaky way of tricking your mind into reverting to your most vulnerable and certain situations trigger the most child-like reactions. Mentions of food can be a source of absolute joy and passion and turn into a dagger in a nanosecond...I am an over-sensitive cow, I know, but years of bullying, taunting and self-doubt have left a huge mark which I'm still trying to erase. My partner, Mike, does his utmost to reassure me and help me through it but sometimes nothing works...they are resilient little bastards those childhood traumas! But I am determined to win the fight and not allow food to be associated with the darker side of Argentinian neuroses. On that note, for all of you who, as myself, view food as 'porn', you cannot miss the following link: www.tastepotting.com The word orgasmic doesn't even begin to encompass the sensations it arises in me! Now that's what I call proper titillation...What do you reckon?